What feature always makes any knife better?

What special feature always makes any knife better?

  • Total voters
    118
  • Poll closed .
Mecha

Mecha

Titanium Bladesmith
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
10,023
Knives can have many special features and details. Some of these features can drastically affect performance, others just make the knife cooler or more fun to use, offer bragging rights, etc.

But what feature, more than any other, ALWAYS makes ANY knife better and cooler?*

Let's find out in the poll above!

*not a marketing survey
 
King of the Cheese said:
I always find that having a friendly appearing creature as part of the branding makes a knife instantly better. Such as a little spider (tick), a butterfly, or the claw of an ancient bird-like dinosaur.
Click to expand...

I think the skulls crowd would disagree. Also, you failed to vote in the poll, sir. :oops:
 
An Emerson wave! or a ziptie.
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My "other" feature vote is for a grind that is very thin behind the edge. You can have a fairly hefty spine, if that is what a design spec calls for, but if the bevel is skinny right behind the edge, penetration while a cut or chop is entering the material will be much more efficient. Even "sharpened prybar" blades can achieve this.

Of course, starting with a skinny spine (1/16"-ish) makes achieving that skinny edge that much easier.

Edit to add: I realize overbuilt beasts are the usual code of the road for many (most?) here on BF, including me on plenty of occasions. So if you're of the crowd whose minimum blade weighs more than a full grown Duroc hog & you'd like to flame me on my puny edged blades, feel free. I got my asbestos underwear on. 😉
 
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I don't know why but I love thumb ramps, both aesthetically and for practical use. As long as they're well designed and I can reach over them with my thumb if need be to apply downward pressure on the spine without a hotspot on my thumb, I'm always cool with a thumb ramp on my knife. Same with a convex grind, it just seems to do everything better than a V-edge, hell even a secondary convex is great. I also voted for strong blade lock. While the locking mechanism isn't the be all end all of folders for me (my main folder is a Sebenza 31, frame locks are hardly the sturdiest locks out there), it's always cool to know your folder is just a little safer in the super unlikely scenario a huge amount of downward force is placed on the blade while you're handling it.

Edit: Oh and a high blade grind/ low thickness behind the edge.
 
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Good ergonomics. It may be a beautiful, have amazing action, but it isn't comfortable in the hand, I don't want it.

I love a deep carry clip, but not always, as some just cause hotspots.
 
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